What will happen with Fairfax’s federal politics coverage under new national editor James Chessell? Ms Tips has heard that in a meeting with the Canberra-based staff on Thursday, Fairfax editorial director Sean Aylmer told staff, whose federal political coverage runs in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and the Canberra Times, coverage would move away from the “centre left” under Chessell. The new role of national editor was announced as part of Fairfax’s editorial restructure this week. Chessell’s not back from his current gig as Australian Financial Review Europe correspondent for a few months, though, and some we spoke to played down the idea of a shift to the right. We do understand that staff are feeling positive about messages from Fairfax bosses that the company is focusing on political coverage that sets the agenda, so we’ll be watching what comes out of Canberra with interest.